


we kiss, we make up

by bespokenboy



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Actor AU, Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-23
Updated: 2015-01-23
Packaged: 2018-03-08 16:52:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,262
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3216467
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bespokenboy/pseuds/bespokenboy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Luhan casts ex-lovers Joonmyun and Yifan in his play and finds himself acting as something between a mediator and a matchmaker.</p>
            </blockquote>





	we kiss, we make up

_He’s it. He’s the one._  
  
Victoria sends Luhan a quizzical glance, and Luhan continues to scribble.  
  
 _Just look at his smile._  
  
They both look up from Luhan’s notepad when the man coughs lightly, his confident smile shrinking around the corners into a more tentative one.  
  
“Sorry,” Victoria says, flicking her hair over her shoulder. “Passing notes during an audition, how unprofessional of us. Anyways, my name is Victoria, I’m the owner of Jupiter Theatre.”  
  
“And I’m Luhan,” Luhan chimes in. “I’ll be the director of  _The Glass Menagerie_. Thanks for coming in today. You are…?”  
  
“I’m auditioning for the role of Jim,” the man supplies.  
  
“Yes, we know that part,” Luhan says, and the man’s smile falters.  
  
Victoria frowns at Luhan. “Excuse my colleague,” she says gently. “What’s your name?”  
  
“Kim Joonmyun.”  
  
“Alright, Kim Joonmyun,” Luhan cuts in. “I’ve highlighted a passage from the last act. You read for Jim, and Victoria will read for Laura. Go ahead.”  
  
Any insecurity Joonmyun may have possessed vanishes as he delivers his lines. It’s not a particularly powerful or poignant passage in itself, but Joonmyun’s command of the role leaves Luhan breathless. The words pour from his lips like gospel, and his facial expressions and gestures flow with a fluid, careless grace. At a critical moment, Joonmyun’s expression darkens in a way that makes Luhan’s insides seize in excitement.  
  
“Thank you, Joonmyun.” Luhan can’t stop grinning as Joonmyun ducks his head shyly.  
  
“Yes, thank you,” Victoria says. “We’ll let you know if we need you to come in for a callback. Feel free to-”  
  
“Feel free to tell the other guys in the waiting room to go home,” Luhan interrupts. “You got the part.”  
  
Joonmyun’s eyebrows arch up almost comically, and he bursts into giggles of disbelief. Victoria shakes her head fondly, chuckling at Luhan’s smug grin.  
  
“In that case, then,” she continues, “your part will be in the mail. Thanks for coming in today, and have a good one.”  
  
The actor bows and turns around to leave. Luhan calls out, “Really though, can you tell the other guys to leave?”  
  
“Pussy,” Victoria scoffs when Joonmyun has exited.  
  
Luhan yawns and stretches his limbs. “Well, I’m glad we got that over with. Even if Joonmyun hadn’t come in, I’m not sure I could have sat through another audition.”  
  
“Luhan, there’s only four characters in the play. I can’t imagine how you’re going to handle larger productions if you don’t have the attention span for something like this.”  
  
“I’ll be okay, don’t worry,” Luhan mumbles sleepily. “I’ve got everything under control.”  
  
There are definitely advantages to having a four person cast. Luhan can focus more on developing each actor and take a much more meticulous approach to refining each line, every subtle movement.   
  
The cast is relatively unknown, but each actor is a gem. Zhang Liyin plays Amanda, the mother of the play. She has the timeless radiance of a natural belle, but also the weariness of an old soul.   
  
Luhan had casted Amber Liu as Laura, the painfully shy, fragile, but fascinating female lead. Amber's character is worlds apart from her own ebullient personality, but Luhan could tell that she possessed the sensitivity and heart to portray a character like Laura.   
  
For the part of Tom, Laura’s brother, Luhan had casted Wu Yifan. He had felt Yifan’s restlessness from the moment the actor stepped into the room. Though it made him perfect for the role, Luhan had also sensed that some of the restlessness might not have actually been acting.  
  
And then there's Joonmyun, who embodies his role as Laura's gentleman caller to an almost uncanny degree. He was born with a face meant to be seen and adored. And he probably did receive adoration from everyone around him when he was younger. Yet, when his smile slips, there's a bitterness that drips into his expression. He has the look of a man who has worked his entire life, never quite reaching his full potential due to circumstances out of his control. He's a man who is warm, but unsentimental and leaves nothing to chance. Luhan can tell that Joonmyun doesn't believe in miracles.  
  
The actors are given a week to prepare before their first read-through, and Luhan takes it upon himself to meet with each one of them to discuss the finer points of the script. Since it's such a well-known work, there's not much to discuss in the way of tweaks and changes to the script. Most of it will be left as is. But because he's Luhan, he does want to take a few risks with his interpretation.   
  
Meaning that he wants there to be the  _subtlest_ sexual tension between the two male characters. Not enough to detract from the plot and ambience of the play, but just enough for his production to stand out.   
  
It goes over more smoothly than Luhan had anticipated. Yifan listens to Luhan make his case with a jaded "sure," and that's that for him. When Joonmyun hears of Luhan's plan, a mischievous light twinkles in his eye. He bites on his lip and scribbles down notes as Luhan points out ways to deliver certain lines.   
  
When he's done, Luhan asks, "So what do you think? I know that it might seem a little too, you know. Honestly, I can already predict which critics are gonna flip shit."   
  
They both share a chuckle, familiar with those conservative critics who treat scripts like sacred holy texts.   
  
"I think it's worth a try," Joonmyun decides. "Nothing wrong with pushing the boundaries a little when it comes to this kinda thing, right?" He adds, "I can't wait to see who my co-star will be. I hope he's handsome."   
  
  
  
  
"So how do you feel being the only Korean in the cast, Joonmyun?" Luhan asks as they wait for the last actor to arrive.   
  
Joonmyun looks around Luhan's living room, where they have gathered for the first read through. Amber is sprawled on the carpet, and Liyin is sitting primly on a chair pulled from the dining table. Luhan is squeezed next to Joonmyun on the sofa, leaving a space for the last actor.   
  
"I think I'm in good company!" Joonmyun professes. "I just hope that I'll be included in any hot pot plans after the show."  
  
"Ah, so you know about the tradition of Victoria treating us to hot pot after opening night?"  
  
"Yeah, I'm friends with some of her regulars."  
  
"Then there's a chance you might already know the guy who's playing Tom. He's one of Victoria's favorites, because he can also sing! And dance, sort of."  
  
"Wow, sounds like quite a guy."   
  
Joonmyun doesn't know why Luhan sounds so impressed, because Joonmyun can do those things, too. They haven't even met yet, but this guy is already getting on Joonmyun's nerves. He's ten minutes late, but nobody seems to mind, even though Joonmyun minds very much.   
  
"And there he is!" Luhan exclaims. "How have you been, Yifan?"  
  
Joonmyun's stomach plummets as soon as he hears the name of the man he hasn't seen for almost three years. The man who he has spent the better part of those years trying to avoid.   
  
He and Yifan had been friends since childhood and lovers for most of their adult years. Joonmyun still can't think of anyone who understands and appreciates him as much as Yifan did. They were both passionate about acting, frequently chasing after the same roles, but that wasn't their biggest issue, the one that Joonmyun will never forgive him for.   
  
Out of the blue, Yifan had announced that he would be flying overseas to pursue a career in film acting. Joonmyun couldn’t say that he was completely shocked, because Yifan was always the type to want to move onto bigger, better things. He could never stay still for too long. Joonmyun tried to be happy for him, but it hurt. Yifan hadn't even discussed his plans with Joonmyun beforehand, he just told the younger man that he had a flight to catch and that he wasn’t sure when he would be back. But when he did come back, he assured Joonmyun, he would be a star.  
  
Their last kiss at the airport would have put Hollywood to shame. And then he never heard from Yifan again.  
  
Without Yifan, there was no reason for Joonmyun to remain in their old apartment. He couldn’t afford it on his own, so he moved somewhere a little rattier, a little scarier at night. He’s always been more than a little afraid of the dark, and he often found himself wishing that someone (Yifan) could be there to hold his hand at night.   
  
Joonmyun called Yifan, tried to contact him any way he could, but the Chinese man’s phone was disconnected. There was no way to get through, so Joonmyun eventually gave up. By the time he finally forced himself to stop pining for Yifan like an abandoned puppy, he discovered that Yifan had returned from overseas. Not from Yifan himself, but from a friend of theirs who casually mentioned that Yifan had been back for months already.  
  
He waited for Yifan to acknowledge him first, just to have the satisfaction of turning him down.  
  
It was maybe childish, definitely stubborn, but Joonmyun was adamant about refusing to speak to him. It was what Yifan deserved for blindsiding him and then ignoring him altogether. It irritated him even more when Yifan didn’t even try to chase after him when Joonmyun rejected his invitation to meet up. Joonmyun couldn’t comprehend how easily Yifan could give up on him. It was like suddenly realizing that even after all the years they had spent together, he really didn’t understand Yifan after all.  
  
And now Yifan is standing before him, and Luhan is leaping to his feet to wrap his arm around the tall actor's shoulders.   
  
"Joonmyun! This is your costar Wu–"  
  
"Yifan," Joonmyun says coldly.   
  
Something like fear flashes in Yifan's eyes, before his expression smoothes out again. He gives Joonmyun a curt nod in greeting and sits down on the floor. Luhan is too shocked by the hostility between them to offer Yifan a seat on the sofa. Then again, with whatever is going on between the two men, Luhan is sure he wouldn't want to be physically squeezed between them anyways.   
  
Luhan has high hopes for his cast, given the talent of each individual, but he prays that Joonmyun and Yifan's tension won't affect their performance. Both Yifan and Joonmyun are visibly shaken by their encounter, and even Liyin and Amber look uneasy. The strain in the room is palpable, but it starts to melt away when the read-through begins. Luhan mentally praises himself for finding actors with such a high level of professionalism.   
  
However, the temperature in Luhan's living room plummets about ten degrees when they arrive at a scene with dialogue between Joonmyun and Yifan. Even their acting can't conceal the obvious uneasiness between them. Amber and Liyin exchange anxious glances, and Luhan kneads his knuckles against his temples. He has to do something about this. Joonmyun and Yifan are both incredibly talented, but their dialogue is awkward and forced. He has to find a way to improve the chemistry between them and maybe help them move past their bad blood.  
  
At the end of the rehearsal, Luhan reviews the notes he took over the course of their afternoon together. He explains to the actors which scenes need work, as well as how they could go about improving them. He does not, however, acknowledge the most obvious obstacle. It comes as no surprise to any of them when the director thanks Amber and Liyin for their time, but asks Joonmyun and Yifan to stay a little longer.   
  
"I don't know what's going on between you two," Luhan begins cautiously, "but you can't let it get in the way of our production. You guys are both great actors, everyone in the cast is, but the vibes between you two are just...not good. And it's making the rest of us uncomfortable, to be honest."  
  
"Our vibes," Yifan repeats blankly.   
  
Joonmyun shoots Yifan a look of thinly veiled disgust and insists, "I won't let it get in the way of my acting, I promise."  
  
"It's always all about you, isn't it," Yifan grumbles under his breath.  
  
"Excuse me?"  
  
As they start jabbering at each other, Luhan feels perspiration beading at his hairline. This would be harder than he thought. If they were enemies, that would be one thing, but the way that they snap and glare at each other makes them seem almost like a quarreling old married couple. Luhan isn't certain about the history between the two men, but he can hazard a guess.   
  
Luhan claps his hands twice, and they halt their argument to look at him sheepishly.   
  
"We're gonna play a game," Luhan announces. "To help you loosen up more around each other. It'll be like high school theatre club all over again!"  
  
Joonmyun and Yifan listen warily as Luhan explains, "In this exercise, you'll be able to say whatever you want to each other. Give your partner a piece of your mind, point out each other's faults, whatever. But every time you say something, no matter how mean, you have to kiss your partner on the mouth."  
  
Yifan balks, and Joonmyun asks incredulously, "You did this in theatre club?!"  
  
"Ah, it might have been couple's therapy," Luhan admits. He waves his hand in dismissal. "But this is a little bit of both, isn't it?"  
  
They nod reluctantly, avoiding eye contact with each other. Joonmyun feels a little sick to his stomach, but he's done more humiliating things for the sake of theatre. It's the reason why he has virtually no sense of shame now. And it's not like they haven't kissed before. Many times.   
  
Luhan makes them sit in front of each other, cross-legged with their toes almost brushing. Joonmyun is pleased to see that Yifan seems just as nervous as he feels.   
  
"I'm just gonna sit here and make sure neither of you kill each other," Luhan says. When neither of them make a move, he adds, "Well, one of you has to start!"  
  
"I'd be interested in knowing what Yifan has to say to me after so long," Joonmyun begins. "Did you ever think about what you wanted to say to me if we ever saw each other again? Because I did. Or did you never even think of me at all?"  
  
Yifan's gaze drops to his lap, and Luhan winces. Joonmyun didn't hesitate in cutting straight to the chase.   
  
"That was, um, pretty harsh, Joonmyun. You should kiss him now," Luhan suggests. Joonmyun shoots him an accusing glare, and Luhan says, "It's just part of the rules."  
  
Joonmyun feels his stomach roiling in frustration and disgust as he closes his eyes and leans in with his lips pressed stiffly together. As soon as he feels Yifan's lips touch his, he pulls away.   
  
"Your turn," Joonmyun breathes.   
  
"I have nothing to say," Yifan mumbles.   
  
"Are you kidding me? After everything you've done?"  
  
Luhan twists his hands nervously because this was not how he imagined this game would go. It was supposed to help them communicate better, maybe reawaken some of their old affection for each other. It won't work if one of them refuses to say anything to the other.   
  
Luckily, Joonmyun snaps, "Well, I have some things I still want to say to you. I hate how passive-aggressive you are."  
  
He leans in to kiss Yifan again, and once again, it's about as pleasant as kissing a rock. Kiss after kiss, Yifan is silent, and Joonmyun is still frustrated even after venting everything he has kept bottled up inside.   
  
"I hate how I never know what you're thinking. How you don't trust me enough to tell me when something is going on. How everything is so one-sided between us."  
  
"It's not," Yifan interrupts as Joonmyun leans in to kiss him after the last statement. "You're wrong, there is nothing one-sided about us."  
  
"Then why won't you talk to me? Why won't you say anything?"  
  
"I can't play this game. There's nothing bad I can say about you," Yifan whispers.   
  
Luhan senses that some kind of breakthrough is occurring, because when Joonmyun tells Yifan that he's a coward, the resulting kiss lasts a little longer, more lingering and tender than the previous ones.   
  
"You're right," Yifan says quietly. "I am a coward."  
  
Joonmyun's agitation seems a little more subdued now, and he tells Yifan, "If there's anything you want to tell me, please just say it. I just want to know what happened, and I would feel a lot better if you helped me understand."  
  
Apparently whatever is going on between them is a little more complex than a squabble between exes. Luhan decides, "Now that you're willing to listen to each other, maybe you need to have a nice long chat about whatever the issue is."   
  
Yifan directs a sidelong glance over at Joonmyun and asks, "Dinner?"  
  
"Where?"  
  
"The usual."  
  
"Fine."  
  
Luhan exhales heavily in relief when the two men exit his apartment. His salary isn't nearly high enough as it should be, considering all the extra problems he has to handle.   
  
  
  
  
They take a bus together to a residential neighborhood tightly packed with apartment buildings that look at least half a century old. The dark alleyways seem even more foreboding in the indigo evening gloom, and Joonmyun instinctively steps closer to Yifan's side. Yifan glances down at Joonmyun and sees that the shorter man's eyes are wide as saucers.   
  
"I remember the first time you invited me here," Yifan mentions lightly, as they look for the diner. "I thought I took a wrong turn somewhere and was gonna get mugged or something."  
  
"Were you  _scared_ , Yifan?" Joonmyun taunts.   
  
"Absolutely not."  
  
Joonmyun scoffs, and Yifan smiles a little to himself, glad to have lightened Joonmyun's mood at least a little bit.   
  
They turn a corner and arrive at a dilapidated restaurant with a scanty parking lot and pages of old newspapers covering all the windows.   
  
"Is this place still open?" Yifan asks doubtfully.   
  
"Yeah, it's just gotten even sketchier looking over the years. Food's still good, though."  
  
"That's all that really matters, then."  
  
The food is just as greasy as Yifan remembered, but Joonmyun still seems to love it. It's where Joonmyun invited him for their first date, when Yifan realized that he would be willing to do anything for Joonmyun. Even meeting up in a suspicious part of town and consuming questionable food.   
  
“Haven’t been here in awhile,” Joonmyun says, idly stirring the ice cubes in his soda with his straw.   
  
“Is that so?”  
  
“Yeah, I came here a couple times by myself, but I had to stop. It reminded me too much of you.” Joonmyun speaks casually, but Yifan doesn't fail to notice the pain and accusation in his voice.   
  
“I’m...sorry, Joonmyun.”  
  
“ _Now_ you’re sorry,” Joonmyun laughs bitterly. Yifan tries to apologize again, but Joonmyun cuts him off. “Save your apologies, right now I just want to know why you disappeared for three years.”  
  
Yifan sighs and plunges into his story without any preamble.   
  
A little over three years ago, Yifan had found a talent agency and hired an agent who claimed that he would help him become a movie star. Because of Yifan’s multilingual talents, his agent said that he would be able to find a role very quickly. And he did, after sending video auditions to film directors and eventually managing to book a live audition. The audition was halfway around the world, but the director was very interested in him, or so the agent convinced Yifan.   
  
“Why didn’t you tell me you had an audition?” Joonmyun asks. “I would have supported you—I would have been so happy for you!”  
  
“My agent told me that I was sure to get the part. He said that the director loved me and just wanted to meet up in person to sign the deal. It was in early May, and I was sure that I would be back to share the good news with you by your birthday.”  
  
“And?” Joonmyun prompts, dreading the answer.  
  
“And...I found out that the director didn’t exist, the agency didn’t exist, and the whole thing was a scam.” Yifan rubs his knuckles into his eyes. “They stole everything from me and left me stranded in a country where I had no one.”  
  
Joonmyun feels a surge of sympathy for the man, because he had gone through so much more than Joonmyun had anticipated. He also feels a little guilty for being so suspicious of him. “Yifan,” he says gently, “Why didn’t you ask me for help? I would have sent you money in a heartbeat.”  
  
“I know you would have, but I didn’t want you to pay for my mistake. I know how much you were struggling. And I was too ashamed of being so stupid and so gullible to ask you for help. I stayed in a hostel for awhile and tried to audition for more roles, but it was so hard, Joonmyun. I just didn’t want to come home with bad news.”  
  
“I understand, Yifan. But still, you didn’t have to shut me out. I would have done anything for you to come back home.”  
  
“Y-yeah. I know. I guess I was afraid of you finding out how much of a failure I was.”  
  
  
“Yifan, I’ll think you’re a stupid idiot no matter what.”  
  
“I know.”   
  
It makes Yifan smile. For some reason, Yifan enjoys being teased by Joonmyun almost as much as Joonmyun likes teasing him. Maybe they really were meant for each other.   
  
“I’m so sorry, Joonmyun,” he continues. “This was so much messier than it should have been. I eventually gave up on trying to start a career abroad and focused on saving up to return home. And by that time, it had been so long since we talked to each other that I was convinced that you hated me. When I called you, it just proved my fear that you never wanted to see me again.”  
  
Joonmyun exhales a bitter laugh. “I wish you hadn’t given up so easily.”  
  
“Yeah. Me too.”  
  
They are silent for awhile, and Joonmyun finally says, “You know what, Yifan. I might have hated you for a little while.”  
  
“I probably deserved it.”  
  
“But the thing is, I loved you more than anything, and I missed you more than anything, and if you love me, or even care about me at all, then maybe we could consider working things out together.”  
  
Yifan looks up at Joonmyun and sees the fragile hope in his dark, tired eyes. He feels his chest squeezing and finds himself saying, “Yeah. I’d like that.”  
  
  
  
  
While they didn't communicate enough during the first rehearsal in Luhan's living room, Joonmyun and Yifan have the opposite problem in the next rehearsal. Luhan isn't sure exactly what is going on between them now, but he's relieved to see that their former hostility has vanished. But now Joonmyun and Yifan are being overly polite and formal with each other, so it's really not much less awkward and uncomfortable than it was before. They keep sneaking shy smiles and glances at each other, and it’s so sweet and innocent that Luhan wants to bang his fist on a table.  
  
By the time they reach the scene between Joonmyun and Yifan's characters, it's clear that both actors are having difficulty concentrating on acting, too distracted by each other. They're supposed to be off-book at this point, but both actors are floundering and calling out "line" so often that Luhan gives in and returns their scripts to them.   
  
"You do know Victoria's memorization policy, right?" Luhan asks sternly. "You have to pay a fine every time you mess up during a live performance."  
  
"Yes, of course, I apologize," Joonmyun says contritely. "I will work harder."  
  
After that, there is less giggling and fewer idiotic grins shared between the two actors. It seems that the scene with only Joonmyun and Yifan had been an anomaly, because they are able to rehearse without their scripts for the rest of the evening.   
  
"Well, I think you already know what I'm gonna say," Luhan tells Joonmyun and Yifan after the two women have left.   
  
"Yeah," Yifan says, bowing his head, "we'll work on it."  
  
"I really like you guys, so I really hope you'll take this seriously and clean up your scene. Don't let me down, okay? But other than that, great job today."  
  
The two actors thank him and leave Luhan alone in his apartment. Before his door has even closed, he hears bubbly laughter followed by lower, brutish chuckles. Luhan brews himself a pot of tea, wondering how it is possible for two grown men to dissolve into giggles so quickly like a couple of schoolchildren.   
  
“We should start practicing our scene again tonight,” Joonmyun suggests as he skips down the stairs of Luhan’s apartment building. “While his critique is still fresh in our memory.”  
  
“It’s getting late though, where could we rehearse?”   
  
“How about my place?” Joonmyun asks innocently.  
  
Yifan’s heart jumps at the casual suggestion, and he makes a strangled grunting noise of assent.   
  
“I’ll take that as a yes,” Joonmyun teases.   
  
Despite how nonchalant he seems, when Joonmyun reaches over to squeeze Yifan’s hand, Joonmyun’s own hand is cold and clammy, the way it gets right before an audition. Joonmyun is just as nervous as he is, and it brings Yifan back to how they were both jittery wrecks when they first started dating. Yifan had been desperate to look cool in front of Joonmyun, until he realized that Joonmyun really didn’t care. In fact, once he discovered that Joonmyun loved having an excuse to tease him, Yifan went out of his way to embarrass himself in front of his boyfriend.   
  
They’re back to square one now, shy and uncertain like their first kiss.   
  
“Is this the right stop?” Yifan asks hesitantly when they step onto the street corner of a neighborhood he has never seen before.  
  
“Yeah,” Joonmyun mumbles, “I moved because, you know, rent.”  
  
It’s dark in a way that makes Yifan feel irrationally jumpy. Like there are things lurking in the shadows and crawling behind the paint peeling off the sides of buildings. Joonmyun keeps his head down, while Yifan glances nervously around them as he follows him.   
  
"Wait, is that–" Yifan begins as he realizes that he has seen this neighborhood before. He just didn't recognize it at first, as the darkness transformed the streets from seedy to scary.   
  
"There's our restaurant," Joonmyun points out as they pass by the run-down old diner that serves the greasy food he loves so much.   
  
"You moved  _here_? I thought you were always creeped out by this neighborhood."  
  
"I just needed a roof over my head, and I haven't been mugged yet, so it's whatever."  
  
"Joonmyun, you didn't have to do this to yourself, I'm sure you've got friends who would have let you stay with them."  
  
"I like my independence," Joonmyun answers haughtily.   
  
"But if you feel unsafe living here–"  
  
"I'm not a wimp like you are, Yifan. Do you need me to hold your hand?"  
  
"Well, what if I do?" Yifan retorts.   
  
Joonmyun bites back a grin as they simultaneously reach for each other's hands and interlock fingers.   
  
As much as he tries to pretend otherwise, Joonmyun is kind of terrified of walking around his neighborhood at night. He has kept a slim can of pepper spray in his bag since moving here, but it always haunted him that there are things pepper spray wouldn't be able to protect him from.   
  
It starts drizzling and then pouring rain when they're a block away, so Joonmyun tightens his grip around Yifan's hand, and they sprint the final stretch. By the time they reach his apartment building, Joonmyun's hair is drenched, but he feels like he can breathe easily again.   
  
"Just in time," Yifan murmurs when a bolt of lightning illuminates the dim lobby, followed by a clap of thunder.   
  
"Come on, I'm getting cold."  
  
Joonmyun pulls Yifan by the wrist towards the elevator. He jabs the "up" button repeatedly until the doors slide open, and then he presses on the button to send them up to the seventh floor.   
  
"I usually take the stairs, but this is faster," he explains through chattering teeth.   
  
The lights flicker, and Yifan flinches in alarm. Joonmyun reaches up and squeezes his shoulder in comfort.   
  
"Isn't this spooky, Yifan?" Joonmyun tries to laugh, but hysteria is bubbling up in the back of his throat. He tries to convince himself that it was nothing, that the lightbulb just needed to be replaced, but his heart lurches in his chest.   
  
The elevator begins its creaky ascent, much too slowly for Joonmyun's liking. And then it stops, too early for them to have reached Joonmyun's floor. The doors don't slide open, but even if they did, neither of the men would have been able to see it because it's suddenly pitch black in the elevator.   
  
"Nice," Yifan mutters under his breath as he fights the fear spiking in his veins.  
  
Joonmyun tries to open his eyes as wide as he can, but they might as well have been squeezed shut. He hears someone yell, and then he realizes that it's himself. It's like he's been shoved underwater—his thoughts go murky, and it's too hard to breathe with darkness pushing in from all sides.   
  
Yifan immediately grabs onto Joonmyun's hand when he hears him cry out in fear.   
  
"It's okay, the power will come back soon, there's nothing to worry about," he assures him gently.   
  
They hear a creaking noise—it could be anything, but Yifan's mind automatically jumps to the worst conclusion. For Joonmyun's sake, he doesn't let himself react to the sound, but Joonmyun is already hyperventilating. Yifan hears him gasping desperately for breath, filling his lungs too quickly with too much air.   
  
It's a vicious cycle. He's already distraught, but the building dizziness is making him feel even worse, so Joonmyun's lungs suck in breaths even more rapidly in panic. A muffled voice manages to breach the cotton in Joonmyun's ears.   
  
"Joonmyun....Joonmyun, listen to me. You're doing fine, you're completely safe. There's nothing to be afraid of."  
  
Yifan's voice is distant, as though Joonmyun is listening from the bottom of a well. His entire body is breaking out in a cold sweat, and it's completely irrational that he should be acting this way, but he can't help it, and that makes him even more panicked.   
  
Long, slim fingers grapple in the dark to find the outlines of Joonmyun's cheeks, and Yifan cradles Joonmyun's face between his hands. Joonmyun clutches onto Yifan's wrists like it will save him from drowning.   
  
"Let's breathe together, okay?" Yifan asks softly. "In...and out...in...and out... You're doing great, Joonmyun, just keep breathing for me, just like that...in...and out..."  
  
Eventually, the wheezing gasps die away into fainter sobs as Joonmyun buries his face into Yifan's chest.   
  
"You're doing just fine," Yifan murmurs again.   
  
When Yifan left, Joonmyun felt like he was left in the darkness—scared, confused, and completely alone. But being in the darkness with each other somehow feels like they're being brought closer together. He feels the steady thud of Yifan's heartbeat against his cheek, a familiar cadence that fills his body with warm recognition. Even though it's pitch black in the elevator, Yifan has a comforting aura that nearly glows.   
  
"Let's play a game while we wait for the power to turn back on," Yifan suggests quietly. "Just like the game Luhan made us play. But let's say nice things to each other this time. I'll start. I love you."  
  
Joonmyun's stomach flutters as Yifan's lips seek his own in the darkness. He feels Yifan's soft, smooth lips brush against his forehead, his cheekbone, until they finally press against Joonmyun's parted mouth. Yifan makes a small noise in surprise at Joonmyun's receptiveness, and then kisses him more deeply.   
  
"You've got the rules wrong," Joonmyun mumbles, "you have to tell me a reason why you love me."  
  
"But I made up the rules. Unless you're just fishing for compliments."  
  
“Am not,” Joonmyun mutters. “I was just–” He sneezes, and then shivers.   
  
Yifan tries to hold him closer, but Joonmyun pushes him away.  
  
“We shouldn’t play this game, Yifan.”  
  
“Why not?”  
  
“Because I think I’m catching a cold, and I don’t want you to get sick, too.”  
  
“If it’s your cold, then I want it.”  
  
“What are you even saying…”  
  
Yifan just smiles in the dark and pulls Joonmyun closer by the hips. He leans down but overestimates Joonmyun's height, planting a kiss on his nose instead of his lips.   
  
"You're shorter than I remembered," Yifan murmurs.   
  
Incensed, Joonmyun scowls and steps on Yifan's toes. He folds his fingers behind Yifan's nape and brings Yifan's face down to his, kissing him in defiance. They lose track of time kissing and pressing up against each other, and suddenly the darkness isn't so dark anymore. The lights flicker back on and the elevator continues its ascent. The first thing they see is their flushed skin and mussed hair, clear as broad daylight.   
  
"Oops," Joonmyun giggles, smoothing out the wrinkles in Yifan's shirt.   
  
The doors slide open, but Joonmyun stops Yifan with a hand on his wrist, shaking his head. A man steps into the elevator, and Joonmyun and Yifan shift away from each other, pointedly avoiding eye contact. A loaded minute later, Joonmyun tugs discreetly on Yifan's sleeve, and they exit onto their floor.   
  
It takes no more than a mutual glance for them to burst into relieved laughter, and Joonmyun grabs Yifan's hand and leads him into his apartment.   
  
"It's not much," Joonmyun apologizes, "but it's home."  
  
Joonmyun's current apartment is about half the size of the one he shared with Yifan. It's a sparsely furnished single room, with a futon pushed up against one wall, a tiny kitchen tucked in the corner and not much else. Joonmyun crouches to dig through the bottom drawer of his dresser, which doubles as a television stand. He offers Yifan a bundle of clothing and a towel, which Yifan accepts with confusion.   
  
"Pajamas," Joonmyun explains, seeing Yifan's expression.   
  
"Am I staying the night?"  
  
"Are you?"  
  
"I guess I'm staying the night," Yifan says, almost to himself.   
  
"Hey, I didn't invite you, Yifan!" Joonmyun interjects, and Yifan frowns slightly. Joonmyun adds softly, "You don't need an invitation. You're always welcome here, okay?"  
  
All Yifan can think about in the shower is how much he loves Joonmyun, how good it feels to have Joonmyun's waist in his hands, how he doesn't mind leaning down for Joonmyun to whisper in his ear. Joonmyun is so much more precious to him than he ever really understood, and it took losing him to realize it. He's never going to make that same mistake again.   
  
The pajamas Joonmyun had lended him fit better than expected. Yifan had anticipated the hem of the pants to fall a few inches short of his ankles, but they're surprisingly just the right length. And then Yifan realizes that they're his own pajama pants, a pair that Yifan left behind and Joonmyun had clung onto for three years. He wonders if Joonmyun did it harboring the hope that Yifan might return someday, or if it hurt him too much to throw the clothes away. Both scenarios make Yifan's heart ache with tenderness for Joonmyun.   
  
"What took you so lo–"  
  
Joonmyun is cut off when Yifan hugs him close and kisses him warmly, filling Joonmyun's lungs with the scent of his own soap and shampoo. Joonmyun grumbles something about Yifan always spending too much time in the shower and pushes past him towards the bathroom.   
  
The futon has been unfolded, and a comforter has been spread on the floor, forming a makeshift bed. Yifan takes the liberty of settling onto the floor, leaving the futon for Joonmyun. It's not their usual arrangement, sleeping separately, but it's probably too soon for them to be sleeping in the same bed again.   
  
"What are you doing," Joonmyun demands when he returns to find Yifan sprawled on the floor.   
  
Yifan doesn't even look up from the script he's perusing. "Waiting for you."  
  
"But you're the guest. You can't sleep on the floor."  
  
"But you're going to catch a cold if you do."  
  
Joonmyun purses his lips in dissatisfaction, and then decides, "Rock paper scissors for it."  
  
"Fine."  
  
Knowing that Yifan's default choice is scissors because it has "long legs," Joonmyun tosses out a rock. As predicted, Joonmyun wins.   
  
"I won, so I'm going to sleep on the floor, okay?" Joonmyun announces.   
  
Before Yifan has a chance to respond, Joonmyun lightly shoves him, rolling him off the comforter. Joonmyun crawls onto the makeshift bed and pulls a bedsheet up to his chin. It hurts his ribs to lay on his side, so he settles onto his back.   
  
"Fine," Yifan groans, rolling back onto comforter. And suddenly, Yifan's lips are right next to Joonmyun's ear, and his arm is snaking around Joonmyun's waist. "But I'm going to sleep on the floor, too, so I can keep you warm."  
  
"F-fine."  
  
Joonmyun is so exhausted by the day's events that he almost falls asleep within minutes of curling up in the contour of Yifan's elbow. Just before he drifts into unconsciousness, he suddenly remembers something.  
  
“Yifan!”  
  
The taller man wakes with a jolt, his heart pounding from shock.   
  
“What’s the matter, Joonmyun?” he gasps.  
  
“I just remembered that we were supposed to practice our scene tonight.”  
  
“God, Joonmyun, you almost gave me a heart attack.”  
  
“Sorry about that. But we should really rehearse, or else you would have come over for nothing.”  
  
“What if I just wanted an excuse to sleep with you?”  
  
Joonmyun kicks Yifan’s shin under the sheet, and Yifan reaches down to tickle the sole of Joonmyun’s foot. Yifan is satisfied to confirm that even though it’s been almost two decades since they became friends, Joonmyun still isn’t immune to Yifan’s tickling.   
  
They grew up in the same neighborhood and were inseparable, even though Yifan was a year ahead of Joonmyun. But Joonmyun was always mature for his age, even in the years of childhood when a year's age difference was so pronounced. In high school, they wound up in several of the same classes because Joonmyun's high baseline assessment scores allowed him to skip many of his first year courses.   
  
Yifan joined the basketball team, and Joonmyun applied himself harder to his studies in order to keep up with his classmates. They still managed to make time for each other, but just barely. Joonmyun cheered for Yifan at as many basketball games as he could attend, scribbling homework problems into his notebook during timeouts. Yifan stayed up late into the night to soothe Joonmyun through his episodes of anxiety, murmuring encouraging words into the phone but wishing he could hold Joonmyun's hand instead.   
  
Yifan was scouted by the basketball coaches at a local university, and Joonmyun spent his last year of high school without his best friend. Joonmyun once had only eyes for Yifan, whether he realized it or not, but Yifan's absence drove him to seek the company of others his age. He made a few good friends, but nobody he kept in contact with after high school. He dated a couple girls during his last year, but he always lost interest after a few weeks. It wasn't the girls' fault—nobody could make Joonmyun laugh like Yifan did.   
  
A little bit over a year after Yifan started receiving scouting calls, Joonmyun received a merit scholarship offer from the same university Yifan was attending. He convinced his parents that full rides were hard to come by and that he wouldn't get a better deal anywhere else. It didn't matter where he went to school if he was going to study engineering.   
  
Except he soon realized that his major was everything he hated about high school—meaningless effort towards a future he felt, at most, ambivalent about. Joonmyun was too busy scrutinizing numbers and modeling problems to seek out time with Yifan, and it was almost as if they weren't even studying at the same school. It wasn't until Yifan showed up at his dorm with sushi takeout that they had a long, hard conversation about why Joonmyun had been so unhappy during his first semester of college.   
  
They decided to join the theatre club together so that Joonmyun would have an activity to take his mind off studying once in awhile, and to give Yifan the chance to spend more time with his best friend. As it turned out, acting gave Joonmyun more satisfaction than crunching numbers ever could. Even though he had the intelligence and work ethic to be successful in either, Joonmyun decided it was finally time to do what was best for the sake of his own happiness.   
  
Instead of completing lab reports on thermodynamic systems, Joonmyun spent the rest of his college years learning Stanislavski's system. He spent less time cooped up in his room and more time with Yifan, whether it was in rehearsal,finding new places to eat or, just goofing around.   
  
Before long, Joonmyun decided to hold Yifan's hand just to see what would happen. Yifan didn't reject his touch, and it was in fact Yifan who later slipped his arm around Joonmyun's waist, initiating their first cuddle session. They spent so much time together that going official only meant that they held hands a little more often, and Yifan acted a little more awkward than usual around Joonmyun in a failed attempt to be the cool boyfriend he thought Joonmyun wanted.   
  
For some reason, Yifan seemed to have it in his mind that he needed to impress Joonmyun in order to earn his affection. He didn't realize how absolute Joonmyun's love for him was, and it's something that Yifan is still struggling to wrap his mind around.   
  
Looking at Joonmyun in the dim moonlight, Yifan is reminded of all the history they've shared with each other. He sees so many Joonmyuns all at once, from the little kid whose smile was too big for his face to the man who still managed to smile even when all they had was each other.   
  
"What are you thinking about, Yifan?" Joonmyun asks quietly when he notices that Yifan has been watching him wordlessly.   
  
"You," is the simple, honest answer, and Joonmyun makes a face.   
  
"We should rehearse," Joonmyun yawns.   
  
"We should sleep."  
  
Joonmyun mumbles a half-hearted protest, but it gets muffled when he buries his face into Yifan's chest as he elects to give in to sleep instead.   
  
Morning comes, and Yifan finds Joonmyun still in his arms, his skin softly illuminated by light slanting through his blinds. He closes his eyes again and buries his nose into Joonmyun's hair, inhaling his warm scent just to make sure he's real.   
  
“Are you sniffing me,” Joonmyun grumbles, startling Yifan.  
  
“Y-yeah, I mean, no? How long have you been awake?”  
  
“Long enough.”  
  
“But your eyes were closed!”  
  
“Because I don’t stare at people right after waking up. And I don’t try to smell them, either.”  
  
Joonmyun finally opens his eyes to glare at Yifan, who smiles because Joonmyun is so adorably grumpy first thing in the morning.   
  
“Sorry,” Yifan murmurs and presses a kiss to the top of Joonmyun’s head.  
  
“Are you hungry?” Joonmyun asks, softening up.  
  
“Kind of. Yeah.”  
  
“I’ll make breakfast.”  
  
“I’ll help.”  
  
“No, you’re the guest, you should stay in bed and let me take care of it,” Joonmyun insists.  
  
“But you can’t cook, Joonmyun.”  
  
“I’ve lived on my own for a few years now, I’ve learned a thing or two.”  
  
“Ah...right.”  
  
And there it is again, making Yifan ache like a bruise, reminding him that they’re never going to be quite the same as they were before. It’s useless to hope that they will go on pretending that nothing happened. Even though Joonmyun understands Yifan’s situation now, it still doesn’t change the fact that Joonmyun was deeply hurt, and that’s something that Yifan can never forgive himself for causing.  
  
Joonmyun, now wrapped in a plaid bathrobe, bends down to kiss Yifan on the forehead. He rubs his thumb against the ridges in Yifan’s forehead, as though to erase his worry lines away.  
  
“It’s okay, Yifan,” Joonmyun whispers, “there’s nothing to worry about. You’re doing fine.”  
  
“Thank you,” Yifan whispers back, relieved that Joonmyun seems to have forgiven him, at least.  
  
“I’m just telling you what you say to me all the time,” Joonmyun grins. He pats Yifan on the cheek, and then saunters over to his kitchenette to poke around in the fridge.   
  
Yifan closes his eyes to squeeze a few more minutes of sleep in, and wakes up minutes later to a savory aroma steaming close to his face.  
  
“Wake up, Yifan!” Joonmyun pokes Yifan’s cheek until he opens his eyes.  
  
He hands him a bowl of noodles floating in a light brown broth with rings of scallion sprinkled on the surface. Yifan sits up and sips the soup as Joonmyun watches expectantly.  
  
“Good!” Yifan says, bobbing his head in approval, and Joonmyun beams.   
  
He returns to the kitchen to retrieve his own noodles, as well as a couple of hard-boiled eggs.   
  
"You still like hard-boiled eggs, right?" Joonmyun asks uncertainly.   
  
"Of course! I can't believe you remembered!"  
  
Joonmyun tries not to look too pleased with himself as he peels the shell for Yifan. "As long as you don't inhale them, that's gross," he tells him.   
  
"I'll try," Yifan laughs.   
  
They sit cross-legged next to each other on the floor, both too lazy to set up the folding table tucked between the refrigerator and the wall. Yifan finishes his food first and absently clacks his chopsticks together, smiling to himself.   
  
"What are you smiling about," Joonmyun demands. "Actually, no, I already know what you're going to say."  
  
"And what is that?"  
  
"You're going to say something cheesy like, _I'm smiling because I'm thinking about you_."  
  
"Actually," Yifan laughs, "I was thinking about the first time we had a sleepover at your house. And you cried because your mom gave me full sized chopsticks while you still had to use training chopsticks since your hands were so small. Remember that?"  
  
"No," Joonmyun says stubbornly.   
  
"Mmm, okay."  
  
"My hands weren't small, by the way. Yours were just freakishly large, even when we were kids."  
  
"Freakish?"  
  
Yifan pouts, and Joonmyun is suddenly overwhelmed by how cute his boyfriend is. He grabs Yifan's hand and kisses it.   
  
"I love your hands," Joonmyun admits. "And I love y–"  
  
Yifan saves himself from the cheese by leaning in and kissing Joonmyun's mouth. Joonmyun complies, kissing him back. The kisses start out soft and sweet, until Joonmyun grabs a fistful of Yifan's shirt and tugs gently at Yifan's lower lip. And then Yifan's back is on the floor again as Joonmyun steals back all the kisses that had been taken away from him during their years spent apart, urgent like he's desperate to make up for lost time.   
  
The doorbell rings, interrupting their feverish kisses.   
  
"I should probably get that," Joonmyun pants.   
  
The first thing Luhan notices when Joonmyun answers the door is that he's breathing heavily and this is the first time he's seen the actor's hair messed up. The second thing he notices is that Yifan is sprawled on the floor of Joonmyun's apartment.   
  
Joonmyun coughs lightly. "Can I help you, Luhan?"  
  
"You, um, left this at my place last night," Luhan explains hastily, handing Joonmyun his copy of the script.   
  
"Oh! Thanks, Luhan!"  
  
"No problem. I hope that you and Yifan had a good rehearsal..." Luhan doesn't mention that he could hear them making out from the hallway.   
  
"Uh, yeah! Definitely!"  
  
Luhan laughs uneasily and says, "Well, tell Yifan I said hi, and I'll see you two later!"  
  
He waves and quickly walks away from Joonmyun's apartment. Joonmyun closes the door and returns to straddling Yifan's hips.   
  
  
  
  
To Luhan's relief, Joonmyun and Yifan cause little trouble for the rest of the production period. At least, nothing that gets in the way of their acting. He turns a blind eye to their not-so-secret displays of affection, except when a fit of passion during tech week knocks over a clothing rack backstage. Joonmyun and Yifan are both so embarrassed by the incident that Luhan doesn't even have to tell them to restrain themselves.   
  
As the only two males in the cast, they have a dressing room all to themselves, for better or for worse. Luhan is hesitant in knocking on their door half an hour before the show starts, afraid of what he might find on the other side.   
  
"Yoohoo," he calls out, opening the door slowly. To his relief, both men are fully clothed, and Joonmyun is stippling blush across Yifan's cheeks.   
  
"Hi Luhan!" Joonmyun chirps in greeting.   
  
Yifan inclines his head slightly with a "hey."  
  
"I just met with Amber and Liyin, and I just wanted to tell you guys that I'm so proud of how far we've all come since we started production. Especially considering the fact that you two couldn't even look each other in the eye during our first read-through."  
  
Joonmyun grins and elbows Yifan in the ribs, jutting him sharply enough to leave a bruise. Yifan grunts involuntarily in pain, and Joonmyun frowns. He reaches over to wrap his arm around Yifan's waist, rubbing the patch of hurt with his other hand. It's strangely tender, and it makes Luhan feel like he's witnessing something too intimate for his eyes. He makes a mental note to invite Kim Minseok over for a drink later so he can feel like a man again.   
  
"I hope this isn't being too presumptuous, but we're proud of you, too," Joonmyun tells him. "I heard this was your first time selling out on opening night, congrats!"  
  
"I had little to do with it," Luhan shrugs, "but thank you. There's not much else I need to say to you in terms of performance besides—break a leg."  
  
He pats them both on the shoulder before slipping out of the dressing room.   
  
"Ready?" Joonmyun grins and squeezes Yifan's hand.   
  
"Yeah," Yifan says, giving Joonmyun's hand a squeeze in return.   
  
It's been years since Joonmyun stood on stage for the first time in the theatre club's production of  _A Midsummer Night's Dream_. He still gets butterflies in his stomach in those simmering seconds before the curtains part. His first role was as the faerie king Oberon, and it was the first time Joonmyun had ever immersed himself in a completely different persona, tapping into his imagination as well as a place within himself he didn't know existed.   
  
Despite his initial nerves, performing was the best experience of his life, even better than kissing Yifan. And nothing would make him happier than continuing to perform and grow, especially if he gets to stand onstage with Yifan every now and then. He doesn't do it for the applause, not exactly. He performs for reasons that are both simple and complex, and it fulfills him, makes him happy in a way he can't quite explain in words.   
  
Although, the applause is nice, too, especially when his fingers are slotted between Yifan's as they take their final bow during their standing ovation. The curtains close, and Joonmyun is still buzzing with adrenaline, clinging onto Yifan's hand. Now that they no longer have to worry about smudging their stage make-up, Joonmyun steals a kiss before they make a dash for their dressing room.   
  
"Mmmm, Joonmyun," Yifan groans when Joonmyun presses him up against the closed dressing room door. He tries to blurt out words between kisses. "I don't—I think—we're gonna be—late—for—hot pot."  
  
"That's okay," Joonmyun says, mouthing against Yifan's neck. "I've been waiting to touch you all night."  
  
"But...I'm hungry."  
  
Joonmyun laughs in exasperation and kisses Yifan's inner wrist.   
  
"In that case, Yifan, we better get going!"  
  
By the time they arrive at Victoria's house, the meat has already finished cooking, and Luhan is ladling strips of lamb into everyone's bowls. The dining room is spacious, large enough to accommodate the entire cast and crew. Joonmyun and Yifan are the last to arrive, but Minseok, the stage manager, had already made sure to prepare two bowls for them.   
  
Once everyone is seated and digging in, Luhan calls Joonmyun out for sticking his chopsticks into Yifan's bowl.   
  
"There's more than enough food for everyone!" Luhan laughs. "No need to steal from Yifan!"  
  
"I'm picking out the cilantro for him," Joonmyun explains patiently. "He's scared of cilantro, aren't you, Yifan?"  
  
Yifan lowers his head and murmurs something under his breath about a recessive gene, and Joonmyun beams because he is just too cute.   
  
The rest of the night is filled with excited chatter about the production and how much of a success it was despite its bumpy path to realization. Finally, Luhan stands up to make a speech to end the gathering.   
  
"First of all, let's thank Victoria for taking me under her wing and making it possible for all of this to happen. I hope we can work together on many more productions in the future. Thanks for the food, too."  
  
The room bursts into applause for Victoria, and Amber reaches over to squeeze her shoulder as Luhan continues.   
  
"This couldn't have been possible without each and every one of you, either. I am so grateful for your hard work and dedication, and I couldn't have been happier with the result. Tonight was better than I could have hoped for, so let's continue to improve in future performances!" He adds shyly, "And thanks, Minseok, for keeping me sane during tech week."  
  
The night ends with a prolonged series of congratulations and goodbyes, and then Yifan and Joonmyun are back in Joonmyun's apartment. They shower together to cleanse away the sweat and stage makeup, with the time and freedom to kiss and touch each other to their hearts' content. Joonmyun blow dries Yifan's hair for him, and Yifan dabs moisturizer onto Joonmyun's cheeks to keep his skin soft. And then they curl up against each other on Joonmyun's futon.   
  
"Did you hear that?" Yifan whispers a few minutes after settling under the sheets.   
  
"N-no?"  
  
"I think I hear a cockroach crawling somewhere..."  
  
"Yifan, don't try to scare me!"  
  
"I'm not! Just listen..."  
  
They are quiet for a few seconds, and Joonmyun picks up on soft scuttling sounds tracing around the perimeter of his apartment.   
  
"God dammit," Joonmyun hisses under his breath. "Tell you what, let's play rock paper scissors for it."  
  
Joonmyun flips the light switch on and sees how wide and frightened Yifan's eyes are. Something squeezes in his heart, and he throws out a paper, knowing that Yifan will choose scissors like he always does.   
  
"Looks like you win," Joonmyun says, and he rolls out of bed to confront the cockroach.   
  
After safely disposing of the pest and washing his hands, Joonmyun returns to cuddling with Yifan.   
  
"So you're afraid of cockroaches, huh?" Joonmyun teases.   
  
"They're scary, okay?" Yifan shudders.   
  
"Understandable. You know, Yifan, maybe it's time we moved somewhere nicer. Together. So we don't have to worry about cockroaches and creepy elevators anymore."  
  
Yifan smiles in the darkness and holds Joonmyun closer. "Yeah," he agrees. "I'd like that."

**Author's Note:**

> crap i wrote this bc i wanted to include a joke about jm getting casted in m. butterfly but i forgot to write it in oops


End file.
